Maranda Pleasant: You’re turning 80. You’ve had a historic life. What does that feel like?

Yoko Ono: A start of a second life.

MP: What is age to you?

YO: The higher the number, the higher the joy.

MP: You’ve had nearly ten #1 dance singles. Why is this one important? Is this one different?

YO: This one, I created with a partner. It was a great feeling to know that I could do that in this genre.

MP: What was it like creating with Dave Audé?

YO: He is the top of this genre. I am a lucky girl.

MP: This is one of your first penned dance tracks in a while, What does it mean to you?

YO: “This is what I can do from now. I’ve got a few songs for it already, don’t I?” Well, that’s what I thought as soon as I played what we did. Getting into creating in a new genre is like arriving to a new country.

MP: Do you feel loved? Is that important to you, to feel loved? What is love to you?

YO: Love is what I give to the one I love.

MP: Do you care about public opinion? Does it affect you if your work is/isn’t embraced?

YO: My work was not embraced for many decades. I would have killed myself if getting embraced affected me so much.

MP: You are a strong, powerful artist. A legendary female who doesn’t seem to want/need approval.
Was it always this way?

YO: I didn’t mind getting some approval. It would have helped my work to go places. But I didn’t get it. Should I have jumped in an icy river or something? Instead, I just became a good dancer.

MP: What makes you come most alive?

YO: When I’m inspired with a new idea.

MP: How do these remixes impact your current music writing?

YO: After I created “Hold Me” with DAVE AUDE, I made a “rock/pop” album that follows Between My Head and The Sky, with Sean being my co-producer. I kept telling myself, Wow! Now I can do an old and a new genre, as my body swung with the beat of “Hold Me.”

MP: If you could say something to every woman on the planet, what would it be?

YO: You are beautiful. Don’t ever think you are not. It may be such a compliment that does not come from a man too often. They are shy, proud, and rude. Give yourself some love. And walk as what you are—a beautiful woman. All your life.

MP: Tell me about your passion with speaking out on fracking? We’re running features every issue with Bill Mckibben, Josh Fox, Mark Ruffalo, and others. What is Artists Against Fracking?

YO: I’m glad you are spelling the name right in your magazine, in your question to me, and probably in your dream. But don’t spell fracking. Spell NO MORE FRACKING. Because that’s what we need.

MP: Thank you, Yoko.

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